Commonwealth games coming to the Ricoh Arena

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) today announced that it has selected Birmingham as the host city partner of the XXII Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The Ricoh Arena's Ericsson Indoor Arena will host Netball as part of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The Ericsson Indoor Arena, part of the Ricoh Arena, is home to Wasps Netball, winners of the Vitality Netball Superleague in 2017. The Wasps Netball team is not only proving to be a force in the national game but is engaging with thousands of women and girls beginning or returning to the sport.

The Ericsson Indoor Arena is a 6,000 sq m hall that is fully adaptable and includes high density WiFi using small cell technology, is regularly transformed to accommodate exhibitions, conferences, sporting events and concerts. All Birmingham 2022 Netball fixtures, including preliminaries and finals will be held in the Arena, with 5,000 temporary seats installed for the Games.

Birmingham 2022, which is expected to take place from 27 July – 7 August 2022, marks 20 years since Manchester 2002, the last time the Games were held in England.

Nick Eastwood, Group Chief Executive at the Ricoh Arena and Wasps, said:

“We are delighted that the home of Superleague champions Wasps Netball is being given this once-in-a-lifetime chance to host the sport on a global stage for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.

“The Ericsson Indoor Arena has plenty of experience at successfully hosting domestic and international netball matches, making us perfectly poised to deliver a memorable experience for the thousands of visitors to the Ricoh Arena and the millions watching on TV.

“I’d like to congratulate the city of Birmingham on their achievement, and we look forward to working with various partners to ensure we maximise this opportunity for the wider Midlands.”

“Winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 was a career highlight for me, so I cannot begin to describe my excitement that we will be hosting elite-level netball in Coventry in 2022.

“Netball is growing in popularity, particularly in the Midlands through the community work that Wasps Netball are doing with England Netball, and this announcement will really help to inspire generations before, during and after the Commonwealth Games.

“In the club’s first season, Wasps Netball has attracted regular crowds of over 1,000 people to its home games – while the venue has hosted crowds of 4,000 fans for England Netball matches – so I’m confident the venue will be packed out for Commonwealth Games, making it an unforgettable occasion.”